Casting-machine



E. DISINGER. CASTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IuLY II, I9Is.

` E. D ISINGERI. ACASTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY l I, ISI-6.

1,354,732D Patented OCI. 5a 19m,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

y m if 4M @i E. DISINGER. CASTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IuLY II, 191e.

Pad

Imm-m2@ I Nm E. DISINGER.

CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION m50 JuLYu, 19m.

553543732.y Patented 0G15. 5 1920.Y

4 SHEETS-skin 4.

UNITEDI STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST DISINGER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR '10` WILLARD STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, O'F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA'. i

CASTING-MACHINE.

Application filed July 11,

To ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known'that I, ERNEST DisrNcER, a citizen ofy the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Casting-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a casting machine such as may be employed advantageously in casting lead storage battery grids.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine which is eiiicient, particularly as to the amount of heat required to bring the molten lead up to the desired high temperature for casting the grids.

A further object is to provide a casting machine wherein all the different operations which include the shifting of the molds up to pouring position, the opening, closing, locking and unlocking of the molds, the control of the valves, and the tilting of the ladle to which molten metal is allowed to run by the operation of the valves, are performed automatically and in certain pre-A determined timed relationship, so that the grids may be cast not only rapidly, but efficiently.

In the attainment of the first of the abovementioned objects, I employ in addition to the usual melting furnace in which the metal is brought to a molten state, a secondary heating vreceptacle in the form of a ladle, which receives from the melting furnace a predetermined amount of molten metal, or

an amount suflicient to cast a grid, and is heated so as to raise this amount of metal to the required temperature for effective casting and is then tilted to cause the metal to .be poured into the mold. Thus there is avoided the necessity ofA heating a large amount of metal to the temperature required for casting.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, a series of molds are arranged on the periphery of a turn-table or revolving platform, each mold being composed of relatively movable parts with which are associated openingv and closing, and locking and unlocking devices. This turn-table which is arranged in proximity to the ladle referred to above and is designed 'to bring the molds, one at a time, up to pouring position, has associated with itv mechanism for moving the turn-table` step by step, for closing and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 5, i920.

1916. Serial No. 108,563.

opening, and for locking or unlocking the molten metal from the furnace or primary heating receptacle tothe ladle or secondary heating receptacle, so that there is eliminated practically all hand labor except that re uired to lift the cast grids from the ino ds.

My invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel details of construction, and' combinations andarrangements of parts which will be described in the specification and set forth in the appended claims.4

.In the accompanying sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the casting machine, certain portions being broken away and omitted; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig.

l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4' is a horizontal sectional View substantially along the line 4--4 of Fig. 2*.; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view i'l-rongb a portion of the machine substantially along ingthe turn-table; Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a side view and a sectional view showing details of the valve controlling'mechanism; Fig. 10 is a plan view of the valve controlling mechanism showing the construction more in detail than in Fig. l; Fig. 11 is a view partly in side elevation and partly Vin section, showing particularly the mold closing and opening, and locking and unlocking mechanism; Fig. 12 is a detail view showing in elevation a portion of the ladle-tilting mechanism; Fig. 13 is a top plan View of one of the'molds showing also a portion of the locking and unlocking mechanism; Fig. 14 is a side view of a portion of the locking and unlockingmechanism for the mold;A Fig. 15 is a transverse sectional view through the combined pourv ing ladle and secondary heating receptacle;

numerous forms, and the details of arrangement and also of construction of the operating mechanism may be modified considerably from the arrangement and details shown, and while in the drawings I have shown only one construction, I wish it to be understood that the construction shown is merely illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, and that I am not to be limited thereto. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the machine includes a circular base 10, centrally from which there extends a hollow, cylindrical standard or column 11, flanged at its upper end, as shown at 12, andsupporting through the medium of rollers or ball-bearings 13, a rotary turntable or platform 14. This turn-table which is in the form of an annulus carries a plurality of molds 15, each preferably composed of two parts 15a and 15b which are supported respectively by a pair of holders or jaws 16 and 16a. The jaw 16a of each mold is preferably stationary being mounted directly on the revolving platform, while the outer jaw 16 is pivotally mounted on a pin 17, carried by a bracket 18, on the under side of the turn-table, and just beyond the flanged peripheryvof the standard or column 11. The manner in which the movablepart of the mold, or movable'jaw, is supported and is adapted to be shifted is perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 11. By referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 11, it will be seen that the 'jaw 16 of each mold extends downwardly beneath the platform Where it is pivoted on pin 17 and is provided with an arm 19, extending downwardly below the pivot pin 17, this arm being provided at its lower end with a roller 20, which is designed to engage the periphery of a cam 21u, which controls the opening and closing of the molds. This cam 21 is near the bottom of the machine, and is formed as aflange on the base 10.

The turn-table may be moved step by step to bring the molds successively to the pouring ladle, by many different forms of shifting devices, `but in the drawings I have shown a simplemechanism which includes a pneumatic cylinder or other suitable- Huid pressure double-acting motor cylinder 22, containing a piston (not shown) connected to a plunger 23, ivotall l connected at'its forward end to a link 24 see Fig. 4), which at its forward end is ivotally connected to a lever 25 (see Fig. 3 which is secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft 26, sup'- ported in hubs .or bosses 27 at the center of the column 11. This shaft'has secured to its upper end, an operatingarm or lever 28, provided at its outer end with a pivoted spring-pressed pawl 29, designed to engage rack teeth 30, formed on or secured to the turn-table 14. With this mechanism, by

-one stroke ofthe piston or plunger 23, the

turn-table is moved through an arc of a circle suiicient in extent to bring the moldl from one position to the next. In this case, as will be seen from Fig. 1, the turn-table is provided with six molds, so that at each stroke of the piston, the turn-table will make one-sixth of a revolution.

By this step-by-step movement, the molds are brought successively to pouring position, which is just beneath a combined pouring ladle and secondary heating receptacle 31, which is pivotally supported to turn about a horizontal axis in a suitable frame 32. The heating medium, which is preferably in the form of a gas which will produce a hot flame, is preferably admitted through a pipe 33, constituting one of the trunnion supports for the ladle, the ladle being preferably provided with a heating chamber 37a in its lower portion as shown in Fig. 15.

This ladle is designed to receive metal from a suitable spout 34, which in turn is connected by a pipe 35, to the melting furnace 36, in which is supplied the metal to be melted. This melting furnace, which may be of any suitable construction, is not sho-wn in detail.

Between the spout 34 and the melting furnace 36, is at least one, and preferably, two valves 37 and 38, which are automatically operated, and control the flow of metal from the melting furnace to the ladle. These valves are preferably operated in sequence, the valve 37 first being opened to admit molten metal into the lsection of the pipe 35, between the two valves, and then this valve is closed, and the forward valve 38 is opened to permit the predetermined amount of metal which ,has been admitted to the pipe, to pass into spout 34, and thence into the ladleV 31. As here shown, 'the valve stems are provided with laterally projecting arms 39 and 40, which are operated by rods 41 and 42, which are connected together as best shownin Fig. 9, and are provided vwith lost motion connections with the arms 39 and 40 to prevent binding. The rod 42 extends forwardly to near the center of the turn-table` where it is connected toan arm or lever 43, secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft 44, mounted for rotary movement in a stationary vertical support 45, which at its lowerfend is provided with a pinion 46, adapted to be rocked back and forth by a gear segment 47 at the inner end of arm 28 which is oscillated by the motor to turn the turn-table step by step.

For the purpose of tilting the ladle, an upright arm 48 is provided and arranged in the path of movement of the oscillating arm 28, which turns the turn-table and actuates the valves. This arm, which is illustrated perhaps most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, is pivoted at its lower end at 48a, and .extends up- Wardlyfrom a point below the arm 28 above the same, where it is connected to a ratherv tightly squeezing the mold sections long rod 49, extending past the ladle toward the furnace. The outer end of this rod 49 is provided with rack teeth 50 (see particularly Fig. l2) which are adapted to engage a pinion 51, provided on the trunnion pipe 33. As will be explained more fully subsequently, on the forward -stroke of the arm or lever 28, the ladle is restored to normal position by la spring 52, which pulls the rod forwardly and on the return stroke of the arm or lever 28, the rodis pulled inthe reverse direction by the engagement therewith of the arm 28, and during this movement the ladle is tilted so as to pour the metal into the mold.

It has been previously stated that by the engagement of tlie roller 20, carried by the depending arm 19 of the movablemold section or jaw, with the cam 21 which is provided near the base of the machine, the molds are adapted to be opened and closed. This cam is so designed that it will cause the closure of each mold just before it reaches pouring position, and will'cause the opening of the mold after it has been moved a suitable distance away from, or beyond pouring position, or a sufficient length of time after the pouring, to enable the metal to congeal or harden, and to permit the cast grid to be removed from the mold. I have discovered that in order that effective results may be obtained, particularly when the machine is employed for casting'fstorage battery grids, it is desirable to provide in addition to the opening and closing mechanism, means for locking and unlocln'ng, and also together. This mechanism is embodied in the present machine, andin theform of the invention here shown, it comprisesa pair of pivoted ylocking levers 54 arranged at the ends of l members 54a,

lary jaw 16a each mold, these levers being pivotally supported on the stationary jaw or mold supporting member 163,. and at their outer or free 4ends being provided with hook-like which are adapted to engage over lugs 55', carried by the movable jaw or support 16 for the movable mold section. Acting in conjunction with these two locking levers 54 of each mold, is a yoke 56, which extends part and is pivotally supported from the end s of the jaw 16a by pins 57. This yoke is provided with an inwardly extending arm 58, provided with a roller 59, which engages a cam on a stationary cylinder 61,

.which extends upwardly above the movable .platform as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, and maybe supported from the up er end of the column 1l by brackets 62 see F igs.,5 and 16) this cam being so shaped that uit successively elevates and lowers the inner endof the yoke. The forward ends of the yoke adjacent.the rear ends of the locking armsor levers 54, are provided with Way around the station-` points, so as to depress these locking levers when the inner end of the yoke is elevated, and they are provided also with lugs 64, which engage the locking levers 54 rearwardly or inwardly of their pivotal points, so as to elevate the same when the inner end of the yoke is lowered, so that the noses or hooked ends of the locking levers will be swung into` or out of locking engagement with the lugs 55. In order that the mold sections may be very tightly squeezed together the pins 57 which pivotally support the yoke 56, are provided with eccentric por tions 57a, on whlch the rear or inner ends of the locking levers are loosely pivotally supported. These eccentric portions 57a are so arranged that just after the locking levers engage over the lugs 55, the eccentric pins, which are secured to the arms so as to move therewith, pull the arms 54 inwardly, causing very tight engagement between the locking levers 54 and the lugs 55, and squeezing the mold sections together very tightly.

The operation of the machine above de# scribed, is as follows: On the forward stroke of the operatingarm or lever 28, the turntable is moved one step, or through one-sixth of a revolution, bringing an empty mold, which is now closed and locked, to pouring position, and moving' beyond pourin position, the mold into which the metal had just previously been poured. Simultaneously with this movement of thel turn-table and molds, the ladle is restored to normal position by means of the spring 527 which pulls the rod 49 forwardly, and val've 37 is closed, and valve 38 opened so as to permit a predetermined quantity of the molten metal to pass from the pipe 35 into the ladle 31, this be-d -lever 28, the ladle is tilted and the vmetal therein is poured into the mold beneath, this tilting of the ladle tilting lever 48. Simultaneouslyr with this tilting of theladle, the valve 38 is closed yand the valve 37 is opened so as to permit a fresh quantity of the molten metal to be drawn from the furnace into the pipe 35,

vbetween the two valves.

Then again, on the next forwardl stroke of the lever 28an empty mold is brought of the yoke Y being due to the engag'ement of the arm 28 with the upright ladleA up to pouring Vposition and the mold into which the metal has just been poured is moved from pouring position. The mold remains closed after it leaves pouring position for a part of a revolution of .the table, o-r untilthe metal has cooled and hardened sufiiciently to enable the cast grid to be removed; then the mold is automatically unlocked by reason of the swinging of the yoke 56 by the cam slot 60, and immediately after the mold is unlocked, it is opened by the inward swinging of the arm 19, as the roller 20, at the lower end of the arm 19,

`follows the contour of the cam 2l, the latter is immediately after locked in the manner previously described, and then the mold sections are squeezed together by the action of the cam 6() on the yoke 56, which in turn contro-ls the lockin levers or arms 54.

In this manner t e grids are cast rapidly, and much of the hand labor is eliminated, but at the same time the grids are practically all well formed, and the percentage of defective grids is reduced to a minimum. Ad.- ditionally, there is a decided gain in eiiiciency over the old methods of casting, for the reason that it is not necessary to heat the entire mass of molte-n metal up to the temperature which' is required for casting, only so much of the metal being brought to casting temperature as is required to cast a As previously stated, my invention in its broad aspects may be carried out in ways other than here shown, and' I aim in my claims to cover all modifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In casting apparatus, a primary heating receptacle or furnace in which metal is adapted to be melted; a secondary heating receptacle adapted to receive molten metal from the first-named receptacle, and to raise the temperature of the molten metal to a point suitable for casting; and means between the first and second receptacles for causing a predetermined amount of molten metal to be'drawn from the first receptacle into the second.

2. In casting apparatus, a primary heating receptacle or furnace in which metal is adapted to be melted; a secondary heating receptacle adapted to receive molten metal from the first-named receptacle, and to raise the temperature of the molten metal`to a point suitable for casting; and a valved pipe between the first receptacle and the second for transmitting predetermined amounts of molten metal from the iirst to the second receptacle.

3. In casting apparatus, a primary heating receptacle or furnace in which metal is adapted to be melted; a secondary heating receptacle adapted to receive molten metal from the lirst-named receptacle, and to raise the temperature of the molten metal to a point suitable for casting; a pipe between the first receptacle and the second, and two spaced valves in said pipe adapted to be operated consecutively.

4. In casting apparatus, a primary heating receptacle or furnace in which metal is 4 adapted to be melted; and a secondary heating receptacle adapted to receive molten metal from the first-named receptacle, and to heat the molten metal to a temperature suitable for casting, said second receptacle being in the form of a tiltable pouring ladle and means for conveying molten metal from the first-named receptacle to the second receptacle.

5. In casting apparatus, a heating receptacle, a delivery receptacle adapted to receive metal from the heating receptacle, a traveling mold conveyer, means for shifting said conveyer so as to bring the molds sucv cessively to pouring position adjacent the delivery receptacle, and means operating in predetermined timed relationship with the conveyer shifting means for causing the delivery of a predetermined amount of metal from the heating receptacle into the delivery receptacle at each movement of the conveyer.

6. In casting apparatus, a heating receptacle, a delivery receptacle adapted to receive metal from the heating receptacle, a traveling mold conveyer, means for shifting saidconveyer so as to bring the molds successively to pouring position adjacentl the delivery receptacle, and means operating in predetermined timed relationship with the conveyer shifting means 'for causing in sequence the delivery of a predetermined amount of metal Jfrom the heating receptacle to the delivery receptacle, and the delivery of a predetermined amount of metal from the delivery receptacle into a mold.

7. In casting apparatus, a primary heating receptacle; a secondary heating receptacle adapted to receive metal from the first; a travelingmold conveyer; mechanism for shifting said conveyer so as to bring the molds successively to pouring position adjacent the secondary heating receptacle, and for tilting the secondary receptacle; and means for causing a predetermined amount yof metal to be delivered from the primary receptacle into the secondary receptacle at each movement of the conveyer.

y ist v'9. In casting apparatus, a mold conveyerl provided with a plurality of molds, a melting furnace, a pouring ladle, means for delivering molten metal from the furnace to the ladle, and related means operating .in predetermined timed relationship for shifting the conveyer and for tilting the ladle so as to cause molten metal to be poured from the ladle into a mold.V

10. Inv casting apparatus,'a mold conveyer provided with a plurality of molds; a pouring ladle adapted to be supplied with molten metal; and mechanism for shifting the conveyer step by step, for tilting the dle, and -for opening and closing the molds.

11. In casting apparatus, a mold conveyer provided with a plurality of molds; a pouring ladle adapted to be supplied with molten metal; mechanism for shifting the conveyer step by step, for tilting the ladle, and for opening and closing the molds; and means for supplying molten metal to the ladle.

12. In vcasting apparatus, a mold 'eonveyer provided with a plurality of molds; a pouring ladle adapted-to be supplied with molten metal; mechanism for shifting the conveyer step by step, for tilting the ladle, and for opening and closing the molds; and means for supplying a measured or predetermined quantlty of molten metal to the ladle.

13. In casting apparatus, a mold conveyer provided with a lurality of molds; :a pouring ladle adapted to be supplied with molten metal; mechanism for Shifting the con,

veyer step by step, for tilting the ladle, and for opening and closing the molds; and

means ,for supplying a measured or predetermined quantity of molten metal to the ladle, said ladle being in the form of a heating receptacle.

14. In casting apparatus, a melting nace; a tiltable pouring ladle; means l.for supplying Imolten metal from the melting furnace to the ladle; a traveling conveyer for a plurality of molds; and means for moving the conveyer step by step, so as to bring the molds successively to the ladle and for tilting the ladle in predetermined timed relationship.

15. In casting apparatus, a melting furnace; a tiltable ladle; means for delivering molten metal from 'the furnace tothe ladle, including a valved pipe between the furnace and ladle; a conveyer for a plurality of molds, adapted to bring the molds successively to the ladle, and means operating in predetermined timed relationship for causing the conveyer to be shifted and for causing niolten metal to be delivered from the receptacle to the ladle atregular intervals.

16. In casting apparatus, a melting furnace; a tiltable ladle; means for delivering molten metal from the furnace to the ladle including a valved pipe between the furnace and ladle; a movable conveyer for a plurality of molds; and means for shifting the conveyer, for tilting the ladle, and for opening and closing the valved pipe. v

17. In casting apparatus,a melting furnace; a tiltable ladle; a, valved pipe between the furnace and ladle; a conveyer; a plurality of molds on the conveyer, and composed of relatively movable parts so as to permit the molds to be opened 'and' closed; and mechanism for opening and closing the molds, for shifting the conveyer, for tilting the ladle, and for opening and closing the valved pipe.

18. In casting apparatus, a primary heating receptacle in which metal is adapted to movable parts so that the molds may be opened and closed; and mechanism for shifting the conveyer, for opening and closing the molds, for opening and closing the valved pipe, and for .tilting the secondary heating receptacle.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature.

ERNEST DISINGER. 

